


Why Ashley Got a $200 Flower Arrangement at Monday's Staff Meeting

by missemmyd



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, F/F, I'm so sorry, Multi, i sort of want to make this into a thing now??, i'm weak for high school teacher aus, someone please stop me, the high school au no one asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2018-09-29 20:07:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10142972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missemmyd/pseuds/missemmyd
Summary: AKA the story where Ruby wants Mulan but thinks Merida is into Mulan so doesn't say anything but everyone is really in on everything.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MalcolmInSpace](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MalcolmInSpace/gifts).



> I'm so sorry this is late! Some idiot hit or clipped the internet by me, so this is the first chance I'm getting to post the story. 
> 
> Pinch-hitting because I'm stalled on my novel and wanted to help out my friends. I really hope the recipient enjoys their story!

“You know, you just ask her out instead of fawning over her from afar.”

Ruby jumped, knocking her elbow against the cold metal of the football stands. Shooting an annoyed look up at Ashley as she rubbed the sore joint, she muttered, “I don’t fawn.”

“You so fawn and everyone knows it. Hell, your students ship you guys, Rubes,” Ashley laughed.

“Ok, first of all, that’s really not something I ever needed to know. Second, since when do you listen to student gossip. And third, why do they care about Mulan and I getting together?” Ruby wasn’t sure what she should be more offended about: the fact that her own students had apparently turned against her and were plotting her love life behind her back, or that she was so far out of the high school gossip mill.

A smug grin settled on Ashley’s face. “They just think you’d be cute together, like I do. And it’s obvious that you get along, so what’s the point in not going for it?”

At the shrill cry of a whistle, Ruby looked down at the track and football field. A group of forty or so kids jogged into a huddle around Mulan. There was just enough of a breeze to carry the sound of her voice up to the stands, but not the actual words. She smiled; Mulan was a great teacher, but coaching was obviously her passion. It showed in the way she cared for each kid, helping them until they had each throw, jump, launch, or landing just right.

Then she caught a glimpse of bright red hair passing through the wave of students as they left practice for the day. With a sigh, Ruby pointed. “She is why I don’t go for it.”

Merida, the new geography teacher at the high school, walked up to Mulan. Their conversation looked innocent enough, but Ruby knew what to look for. The way Mulan leaned in when she spoke, the way Merida’s hands brushed her arm with every gesture. It was the same thing she herself did whenever she was talking to Mulan.

With a roll of her eyes, Ashley cupped her hands around her mouth. “Hey! Mulan!”

“Oh my god.” Ruby slank down in the bleachers, wondering why the ground never seemed to open up when she needed it to.

“I didn’t know you guys watched track and field practice,” Mulan said as she and Merida took the last steps up, the metallic clink of their shoes keeping time with Ruby’s racing heart.

“Nah, I don’t really do the whole sports thing, but Rubes? She’s a huge fan. You’re out here every day, aren’t you?”

Ashley was having far too much fun at her expense, Ruby decided. Ears and neck beginning to turn the same shade as the dyed tips of her hair, she just nodded.

“Well, we could always use more assistant coaches, you know. Merida just agreed to help and we were going to go out to discuss a few details. If you’re interested, why don’t you come along? Have a drink, see if you’d be into it?”

At Ashley’s overly encouraging nod, Ruby turned back to the two standing woman. Merida was covering her mouth, clearly smothering her laughter at the blonde’s heavy-handed attempts to push Ruby and Mulan together. But what surprised Ruby the most was the wink she shot her.

“Um, yeah. A drink sounds good.”

“Perfect! Let me change and we can head out,” Mulan started down the bleachers.

Ashley stood, brushing off her pants. “Well, I’m heading back to my room. I have a long night of grading tests in front of me. See you two later.”

Ruby didn’t respond, confused by the way Merida was looking at her. It was almost the same look Ashley had when her plan finally fell into place. But why would she be happy that Mulan and Ruby were spending time together?

“Mulan will take a bit to change, so we can have a wee chat. Our classrooms have been across from each other all year, but I feel like I hardly know ye. Let’s change that, yeah?”

With some reluctance, Ruby took Merida’s proffered hand, a steadily growing sense of dread building in the pit of her stomach.

***

The bar wasn’t so much the neighborhood bar that Ruby had been expecting, but more a club.

A club that happened to be full of women. 

Just women.

Dancing with other women.

Ruby realized that somewhere along the way, she had been played right into someone’s perfect plan. Maybe when she had less Jack and Coke freeing her mind, her body, her everything, she’d be able to figure out who exactly she should thank for leading her to this moment.

But right now, all she wanted was to keep feeling the slow grind of Mulan’s hips against hers, the hot spark of skin on skin whenever her shirt rode up at her waist where Mulan gripped tightly, hearing the sound of her half-singing, half-humming along with the music in Ruby’s ear.

When a second pair of hands slide over her own where they rested languidly on Mulan’s shoulders, Ruby froze in place. Dancing with the woman she’d come with was one thing, but a stranger wasn’t part of the game. Except it wasn’t a stranger at her back.

Turning her head enough to see bright red hair, Ruby relaxed somewhat into the body at her back. Still, she knew what this meant: Merida wanted her turn to dance with Mulan. But when she moved to step away, Merida’s arms blocked her in.

“Isn’t this more fun, both of us getting what we want? And really, I don’t mind sharing if you don’t,” she half-shouted into Ruby’s ear over the music.

The grin on Mulan’s face gave everything away; she knew what had been going on as well. Tugging on their hands, Ruby was pulled into a back hallway with Merida on one side of her, Mulan on the other.

As lips attacked her neck and hands reached for skin, and one wandered down the front of her skin-tight jeans, Ruby could only find it in herself to say one thing: “I’m so sending Ashley flowers on Monday.”

***

Sunlight streamed in through the gauzy curtains of Ruby’s bedroom. Finally hitting her face, she groaned. As she stretched, she realized the bed was empty. Soft music and cooking sounds came from down the hall and she grabbed her fuzzy red robe as she made her way out to the kitchen.

Merida was sitting at the kitchen bar while Mulan stood at the stovetop, frying bacon and scrambling eggs. Leaning against the wall, Ruby smiled as Merida tossed chunks of orange peel at Mulan which she easily dodged, both women laughing.

Oh yeah, she thought. Ashley is so getting the biggest freaking flower arrangement I can find.


End file.
